Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/jim-lovell-re-enacts-1968-apollo-8-christmas-eve-broadcast Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Jim Lovell re-enacts 1968 Apollo 8 Christmas Eve broadcast Nation Dec 23, 2013 3:47 PM EDT Crew of Apollo 8. From left to right: James A. Lovell Jr., William A. Anders, and Frank Borman. Photo by NASA Forty-five years after Apollo 8’s live Christmas Eve broadcast, former astronaut and retired Captain James Lovell Jr. re-enacted the reading of Bible verses from Genesis at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. Lovell, who was a command module pilot on the first manned spacecraft mission to orbit the moon in 1968, once again read Genesis alongside several high school students. The reading took place in front of the Apollo 8 module on display in the museum. The Genesis readings were chosen originally, said Lovell, due to their centrality to the three major world religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Lovell told a Chicago CBS affiliate that a newspaper reporter’s wife gave the suggestion. “Recite the first 10 verses of Genesis, which is the foundation of most of the world’s religions, so that is exactly what we did.” Capt. James Lovell & @GovernorQuinn visited MSI today to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the #Apollo8 mission. pic.twitter.com/R6XvA3AMo1 — MSI Chicago (@msichicago) December 23, 2013 The original 1968 broadcast can be listened to below: We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now
Crew of Apollo 8. From left to right: James A. Lovell Jr., William A. Anders, and Frank Borman. Photo by NASA Forty-five years after Apollo 8’s live Christmas Eve broadcast, former astronaut and retired Captain James Lovell Jr. re-enacted the reading of Bible verses from Genesis at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. Lovell, who was a command module pilot on the first manned spacecraft mission to orbit the moon in 1968, once again read Genesis alongside several high school students. The reading took place in front of the Apollo 8 module on display in the museum. The Genesis readings were chosen originally, said Lovell, due to their centrality to the three major world religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Lovell told a Chicago CBS affiliate that a newspaper reporter’s wife gave the suggestion. “Recite the first 10 verses of Genesis, which is the foundation of most of the world’s religions, so that is exactly what we did.” Capt. James Lovell & @GovernorQuinn visited MSI today to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the #Apollo8 mission. pic.twitter.com/R6XvA3AMo1 — MSI Chicago (@msichicago) December 23, 2013 The original 1968 broadcast can be listened to below: We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now